Methods and systems for a cable management system

ABSTRACT

Various methods and systems are provided for a cable management device. In one example, the cable management device has a planar base with a plurality of mounting holes, a first wing framing a first slot positioned along a first side of the base, and a second wing framing a second slot along a second side of the base. The wings may flex from a first configuration to a second configuration in response to a contact force.

FIELD

Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to a cablemanagement system for a medical device.

BACKGROUND

A medical system, e.g., a diagnostic system or an imaging systems, etc.,may include a variety of accessory devices attached to various regionsof the medical system. The accessory devices are electrically coupled tothe medical system via cables which may be hung or tied to supportingstructures for the accessory devices. However, hanging or tying thecables may cause binding and rubbing of the cables, particularly whenthe accessory devices are frequently relocated or configured to bemobile. Thus a cable management system that allows the cables to movefreely while circumventing tangling of the cables is desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a cable management device includes a planar base witha plurality of mounting holes, a first wing framing a first slotpositioned along a first side of the base and a second wing framing asecond slot positioned along a second side of the base, opposite of thefirst side, and wherein the first wing and the second wing areconfigured to flex from a first configuration to a second configurationin response to a contact force exerted on the wings. In this way, thecable management device may be used to maintain one or more cables in anarrangement that reduces tangling and chafing of the cables.

It should be understood that the brief description above is provided tointroduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are furtherdescribed in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify keyor essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of whichis defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description.Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited toimplementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any partof this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from reading thefollowing description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to theattached drawings, wherein below:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a flexible cablemanagement device in a first configuration.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the flexible cable management device ofFIG. 1 in the first configuration.

FIG. 3 shows a first cross-section of the flexible cable managementdevice of FIGS. 1-2 in the first configuration.

FIG. 4 shows a second cross-section of the flexible cable managementdevice of FIGS. 1-3 in the first configuration.

FIG. 5 shows a profile view of a flexible cable management device in asecond configuration.

FIG. 6 shows a profile view of a flexible cable management device in athird configuration.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a flexible cable management device in afourth configuration.

FIG. 8 shows the flexible cable management device of FIGS. 1-4 coupledto a medical imaging system.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a method for a flexible cable managementdevice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description relates to various embodiments of a cablemanagement system. The cable management system may include a flexiblecable management device that includes windows or slots through whichcables may be passed. An example of the cable management device is shownin FIGS. 1-4 where the cable management device is in a first, planarconfiguration. Alternatively, the cable management device may be in asecond configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, a third configuration, asshown in FIG. 6, and/or a fourth configuration, as shown in FIG. 7. Thecable management device may be adjusted to any of the first, second, andthird configurations when coupled to a medical display system, asdepicted in FIG. 8. A method for organizing cables of a medical systemvia the cable management device is shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 1-8 show example configurations with relative positioning of thevarious components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directlycoupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting ordirectly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly,elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguousor adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As anexample, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other maybe referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elementspositioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and noother components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. Asyet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at oppositesides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may bereferred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in thefigures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a“top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the elementmay be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least oneexample. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may berelative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describepositioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such,elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above theother elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of theelements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having thoseshapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded,chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersectingone another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersectingone another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shownwithin another element or shown outside of another element may bereferred as such, in one example.

A medical system may include more than one cable coupling variousaccessory devices to the medical system. In one example, the medicalsystem may include a display unit configured with a VESA mount. A cableof the display unit, as well as other cables connected to devicesarranged adjacent to the display unit or coupled to display unit, e.g.,probes, input devices, cameras, etc., may extend along a rear side ofthe display unit. The cables may be placed so that the cables do notinterfere with operation of the medical system by draping or hanging thecables over external, adjacent structures. In other examples, the cablesmay be bundled together to mitigate spreading and tangling of thecables.

However, when the cables are draped over a rigid external structure,such as an arm supporting a display device of the medical system, hardedges of the external structure may chafe the cables. As well, when thecables are bundled using a rigid device, the cables may rub and crimpwhen twisting or rotation of the cables is demanded, leading todegradation of the cables. Alternatively, if the cable is secured tooloosely, the cables may become dislodged and entangled, disrupting aworkflow of an operator. Such issues may be at least partially addressedby a flexible, elastic, rebounding panel that may be coupled to a mountof the display unit. The panel may be a cable management device,configured to retain a position of the cables at a rear side of thedisplay unit, near mobile joints of a support arm holding the displayunit.

A material of the flexible cable management device may provide a balancebetween enough rigidity to retain a desired positioning of the cableswhen in a first configuration while having an elasticity that allows thecable management device to flex and deform to a second configuration toallow cable plugs to be passed through. Once the cable plugs are passed,the cable management device may rebound to the first configuration andremain in the first configuration even during shifting of the cablessupported by the cable management device. By adapting the cablemanagement device with a base that may be directly coupled to the mountof the display unit and peripheral slots through which cables may bethreaded, the cables may be secured to the display unit while allowingthe cables to move. An example of a cable management device 102 isdepicted in FIGS. 1-6 from various views. The cable management device102 is shown in a first configuration in FIGS. 1-6.

A perspective view 100 of the cable management device 102 is illustratedin FIG. 1. A set of reference axes 101 are provided for comparisonbetween views shown, indicating a y-axis, an x-axis, and a z-axis. Inone example, the cable management device 102 may a rectangular platewith curved corners 104. A length 106 of the cable management device102, defined along the z-axis, is greater than a width 108 of the cablemanagement device 102, defined along the x-axis, and both the length 106and the width 108 are greater than a thickness 110 of the cablemanagement device 102, defined along the y-axis. The thickness 110 maybe uniform along both the length 106 and the width 108 of the cablemanagement device 102, as shown in a first cross-section 300 in FIG. 3and a second cross-section 400 in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 2 in a top view 200 of the cable management device 102,the cable management device 102 may be symmetric about a first plane202, parallel with the x-y plane, and symmetric about a second plane204, parallel with the y-z plane. A top face 112 of the cable managementdevice 102 may be similar to a bottom face 302 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and4). The top face 112 and the bottom face 302 may be parallel to oneanother and planar when in the first configuration.

A first set of side edges 114 and a second set of side edges 115 extendaround a circumference of the cable management device 102 and betweenthe top face 112 and bottom face 302 along the y-axis. The first set ofside edges 114 are aligned with the x-axis and the second set of sideedges 115 are aligned with the z-axis. The second set of side edges 115may be longer than the first set of side edges. As shown in FIGS. 3 and4, the first and second sets of side edges 114, 115 curve outwards, awayfrom a central axis 103 of the cable management device 102. As such, thecable management device 102 may not have any sharp or perpendicularedges, having only smooth and continuous surfaces where intersectingregions between faces and edges of the cable management device 102 arecurved.

The cable management device 102 may include a first slot 116 and secondslot 118, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the first slot 116 and thesecond slot 118 framed and surrounded by a first wing 107 and a secondwing 109, respectively, of the cable management device 102. The wingsmay oppositely arranged sections of the cable management device 102which may be mirror-images across the first plane 202 and spaced apartfrom one another by a central region, or base 105 of the cablemanagement device 102. An area of the base is indicated by dashed region230.

For example, the first wing 107 may be formed of a first strip 220,parallel with the x-axis and distal to the base 105, and a second strip222, parallel with the first strip 220 and adjacent to the base 105. Thefirst strip 220 is separated from the second strip 222, e.g., spacedaway from the first strip 220 by the first slot 116 and coupled to thesecond strip 222 by arms 224 arranged perpendicular to the first strip220 and extending between ends of the first and second strips 220, 222.The second wing 109 may be similarly configured to the first wing 107.

In one example, a width 226 of the first strip 220 may be similar to awidth 228 of the arms 224 while a width 230 of the second strip 222 maybe wider than the first strip 220. However, in other examples, therelative widths may vary. The first wing 107 and the second wing 109 mayform opposite ends of the cable management device 102, relative to thelength 106 of the cable management device 102, each of the wingsarranged peripheral to the base 105 of the cable management device 102.

A sum of portions of the length 106 of the cable management device 102forming the first and second wings 107, 109 may be less than a portionof the length 106 forming the base 105. As depicted in FIG. 2, the firstslot 116 and the second slot 118 are similarly shaped and sized, eachhaving a length 206, defined along the z-axis, that is smaller than awidth 208, defined along the x-axis, of the slots. The top view 200 ofFIG. 2 shows that the first slot 116 and the second slot 118 are bothrectangular spaces, elongated in the direction of the x-axis, withcurved corners. Further details of the first and second slots 116, 118are shown in the first cross-section 300 of FIG. 3.

The first-cross section 300 is taken along line A-A′ shown in FIG. 1,cutting the cable management device 102 in half along the y-z plane.Inner edges 304 of the first slot 116 are similarly curved as the firstset of side edges 114 of the cable management device 102. The inneredges 304 curve into the first slot 116 and towards one another. In oneexample, a radius of curvature of the inner edges 304 may be similar toa radius of curvature of the first set of side edges 114. The secondslot 118 also has curved inner edges 306 that curve towards one another,into the second slot 118. A radius of curvature of the inner edges 306of the second slot 118 may be similar to the radii of curvature of theinner edges 304 of the first slot 116 as well as the first set of sideedges 114.

The length 206 of each of the first and second slots 116, 118 may besimilar to the width 111 of each of the first wing 107 and the secondwing 109. In other examples, however, the length 206 of each of theslots may be greater or less than the width 111 of each of the wings.Furthermore, the length 206 of each of the slots may differ relative tothe length 106 of the cable management device 102. In some examples, thelengths of the first and second slots 116, 118 may not be the same.

The second cross-section 400 shown in FIG. 4 is taken along line B-B′indicated in FIG. 1. The cable management device 102 is cut along thex-y plane through two of a plurality of mounting holes 120 disposed inthe base 105 of the cable management device 102. The plurality ofmounting holes 120 extend entirely through the thickness 110 of thecable management device 102 and are positioned proximate to the secondset of side edges 115 within the base 105 of the cable management device102. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the plurality of mounting holes 120 aresimilarly spaced away from one edge of the first set of side edges 114by a distance 210. Each of the plurality of mounting holes 120 isaligned with one other hole of the plurality of mounting holes 120 alongthe x-axis and one other hole along the z-axis.

In the second cross-section 400 of FIG. 4, each of the plurality ofmounting holes 120 is spaced away from one edge of the second set ofedges 115 by a distance 402 which is smaller than the distance 210 (asshown in FIG. 2) that the plurality of mounting holes 120 are spacedaway from the first set of side edges 114. A diameter 404 of each holeof the plurality of mounting holes 120 may be uniform through most ofthe thickness 110 of the cable management device 102 but may flare tobecome wider at the top face 112 and at the bottom face 302 of the cablemanagement device 102.

The plurality of mounting holes 120 may be disposed in the cablemanagement device according to dimensions of a VESA mount and configuredto receive fastening devices such as screws or bolts. Thus the diameter404 may be set, e.g., during fabrication of the cable management device,to accommodate a diameter of a type of fastener to be used to couple thecable management device to an external object or structure. The cablemanagement device 102 may be formed of a flexible, compressible, anddurable material, such as silicone or rubber, which allows the cablemanagement device 102 to deform when a mechanical force is applied tothe device and return to the first configuration shown in FIGS. 1-4 whenthe force is removed.

The plurality of mounting holes 120 may be reinforced with slugs 122,formed of a more rigid and less compressible material than the cablemanagement device. For example, the slugs 122 may be formed from aplastic, a composite material, a resin, etc. The slugs 122 may be tubescircumferentially surrounding each of the plurality of mounting holes120 that extend through the thickness 110 of the cable management device102. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the slugs 122 have a uniform width 406around the plurality of mounting holes 120 along the y-axis. Topsurfaces 408 of the slugs 122 are co-planar and flush with the top face112 of the cable management device 102 and bottom surfaces 410 of theslugs 122 are co-planar and flush with the bottom face 302 of the cablemanagement device.

The slugs 122 aid in securing the cable management device 102 to astructure or object by providing rigid support to the fastening devicesinserted through the plurality of mounting holes 120. For example, asshown in FIG. 8 in a perspective view 800 of a rear side of a displaydevice 802, the cable management device 102 may be sandwiched between arear surface 804 of the display device 802 and a plate 806 of a supportarm 808. The plate 806 may enable coupling of the display device 802 tothe arm 808. The plate 806, and the cable management device 102, and thedisplay device 802 may be secured to one another by inserting upperfasteners 810 and lower fasteners 811 through upper apertures 812 andlower apertures 818, respectively, of the plate 806.

For example, the fasteners may be inserted through the plurality ofmounting holes 120 of the cable management device 102 (as shown in FIGS.1-2 and 4), and through receiving apertures in the rear surface 804 ofthe display device 802. The upper apertures 812, the plurality ofmounting holes 120, and the receiving apertures in the rear surface 804of the display device 802 are aligned along the y-axis and may, in oneexample, conform to spacing of a VESA mount.

The upper fasteners 810 and lower fasteners 811 may be, for example,threaded screws configured to engage with threading in the receivingapertures in the rear surface 804 of the display device 802. The cablemanagement device 102 may be attached to the rear surface 804 of thedisplay device 802 prior to engagement with the plate 806 by insertingand tightening the upper fasteners 810. As the upper fasteners 810engage with corresponding mounting holes in the cable management device102 and apertures in the display device 802, the upper fasteners 810 maybe tightened by rotating the upper fasteners 810 with a tool, e.g., ascrewdriver. Tightening the upper fasteners 810 may result in localizedcompression of the cable management device 102 along an upper region ofthe cable management device 102, with respect to the x-axis.

The rigidity of the slugs 122 (as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 4) around theplurality of mounting holes 120 of the cable management device 102,however, resists a compressive force imposed on the slugs 122 bytightening the upper fasteners 810. The rigidity of the slugs 122 mayalso impede continued insertion of the upper fasteners 810 into theplurality of mounting holes 120 of the cable management device 102beyond terminal ends of the threading of the upper fasteners 810, theterminal ends of the threading arranged at intersections of threadedregions of the upper fasteners 810 with heads of the upper fasteners810. As a result, the fastener heads may protrude from the cablemanagement device.

For example, a second example of a cable management device 502 is shownin FIG. 5 in a second configuration. In some examples, the cablemanagement device 502 may be the cable management device 102 of FIGS.1-4 and 8. The cable management device 502 is depicted from a profileview 500 in FIG. 5 and shows fastener heads 504 extending upwards, alongthe y-axis, from an upper face 506 of the cable management device 502.In one example, the fastener heads 504 may be non-limiting examples ofthe heads of the upper fasteners 810 and the lower fasteners 811 shownin FIG. 8. The fastener heads 504 may be wider in diameter 501 than theplurality of mounting holes, e.g., the plurality of mounting holes 120of FIGS. 1-2 and 4, and therefore may protrude from the cable managementdevice 502.

Returning to FIG. 8, the protrusion of heads of the fasteners from thesurface of the cable management device 102 and the change in diameter ofthe fastener heads, e.g., the diameter 501 shown in FIG. 5, may beleveraged to couple the display device 802 to the plate 806. Forexample, the upper fasteners 810 may engage with the upper apertures 812of the plate 806. The upper apertures 812 may be slots extending down,along the x-axis, from a top edge 816 of the plate 806, and may have awidth, defined along the z-axis, that is narrower than the diameter ofthe heads of the upper fasteners 810.

With the cable management device 102 coupled to the rear surface 804 ofthe display device 802 via the upper fasteners 810, the upper fasteners810 may be engaged with the upper apertures 812 of the plate 806 bysliding the heads of the upper fasteners 810 through the upper apertures812. As a result, the plate 806 is in face-sharing contact with thecable management device 102 at an upper region of the plate 806,relative to the x-axis, when the heads of the upper fasteners 810 areengaged with the upper apertures 812 of the plate 806.

The plate 806 may be locked in place with respect to the cablemanagement device 102 and the display device 802 by inserting andtightening the lower fasteners 811. The lower fasteners 811 may beinserted through the lower apertures 818 of the plate 806 and intocorresponding mounting holes in the cable management device 102 andreceiving apertures in the rear surface 804 of the display device 802and tightened by rotating the lower fasteners 811.

As described above, the plurality of mounting holes 120 of the cablemanagement device 102 are surrounded by the slugs 122, as shown in FIGS.1, 2, and 4. The lower compressibility of the slugs 122 relative to thematerial of the cable management device 102 stabilizes the cablemanagement device 102 so that wiggling and shifting of the cablemanagement device 102 is reduced when the cable management device 102and the rear surface 804 of the display device 802 are coupled to theplate 806 via the upper and lower fasteners 810, 811.

It will be appreciated that the engagement of the upper and lowerfasteners with the apertures of the plate 806 is a non-limiting exampleof how the cable management device 102 and the display device 802 may becoupled to the support arm 808. Other examples may include variations inthe spacing and positioning of the plurality of mounting holes 120 ofthe cable management 102 and the apertures in the rear surface 804 ofthe display device 802 (e.g., not conforming to the VESA mount).Additionally, the support arm 808 may be coupled to the display device802 via other alternative methods. For example, the support arm 808 maybe adapted to engage with the display device through a clamp, a bracket,a single fastener, etc., without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Furthermore, the cable management device 102 may be attachedto the rear surface 804 of the display device 802 through a differentmechanism, such as hook-and-loop fastening tape, adhesive, etc.

When the cable management device 102 is coupled to the plate 806, thefirst wing 107 and the second wing 109 of the cable management device102 may protrude along the z-axis from side edges 820 of the plate,where the side edges 820 are parallel with the x-axis. The first wing107 and the second wing 109 of the cable management device 102 are notattached to the rear surface 804 of the display device 802 and are thusfree to bend away from the rear surface 804 of the display device 802.

Bending of the first wing 107 and the second wing 109 as well asdeformation of the first slot 116 and the second slot 118 may occur whencables 822 are threaded through at least one of the slots. Morespecifically, when plugs of the cables 822 are passed through the firstslot 116 and/or the second slot 118, the first wing 107 and/or thesecond wing 109 may flex, allow one or more of the slots to expand andaccommodate passage of the plugs.

The cables 822 may extend from one or more accessory devices, such asprobes, input devices, etc., positioned adjacent to the display device802, to a system controller or to a power supply (not shown). In someexamples, a cable 824 of the display device 802 coupling the displaydevice 802 to the system controller or the power supply may be fedthrough the first slot 116 (not shown in FIG. 8). The cables 822 areinserted through the second slot 118, positioned within the second slot118 stacked along the x-axis. The length 206 of the second slot 118 maybe similar to a diameter of each of the cables 822, inhibitingpositioning of the cables 822 adjacent to one another along the z-axis.

By passing the cables 822 through the second slot 118 of the cablemanagement device 102, the cables 822 may be trapped along the rearsurface 804 of the display device 802 instead of draping the cables 822over the arm 808 or other adjacent structures. The cables 822 are thusmaintained along the rear surface 804 even when the display device 802is coupled to the arm 808 and allowed to tilt, pivot, and swivel. Aposition of the cables 822 is retained even when the display device 802(and the cable management device 102 attached to the rear surface 804thereof) is detached from the plate 806 of the arm 808. In other words,the cables 822 do not fall and become distanced from the display device802 when the display device 802 is uncoupled from the arm 808.Furthermore, the cables 822 are maintained adjacent to joints of the arm808, the joints configured to enable movement of the arm 808 and thedisplay device 802. By positioning the cables 822 close to the joints,movements of the arm and the display device 802 are propagated to thecables without becoming more pronounced.

The display device 802 may be attached to the arm 808 via a first joint,or a locking mechanism 826 adapted to couple the plate 806 to the arm808. The locking mechanism 826 also enables tilting of the displaydevice 802 through the y-x plane as indicated by arrow 830. The arm 808may also include a second joint 828 that enables rotational movement ofthe display device 802. For example, the joint 828 may allow the displaydevice to rotate along the y-z plane as indicated by arrow 832. The arm808 may have additional joints to enable pivoting or rotating of thedisplay device 802 through the x-z plane.

As the display device 802 is rotated, pivoted, and/or tilted, movementof the display device 802 may also cause the cables 822 to shift andtwist. The cables 822 may exert a force on the cable management device102 as the cables 822 are compelled to move and the exerted force maycause the second slot 118, and the wing 107 in which the second slot 118is disposed, to deform. The first wing 107 and the second wing 109 maydeform and flex in various ways due to a contact force exerted on thewings by the cables 822. The contact force may be a mechanically imposedpressure pushing against a portion of the wings.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the second example of the cablemanagement device 502 may be adjusted to the second configuration wherewings 508, similarly configured to the first and second wings 107, 109of FIGS. 1-2 and 8, of the cable management device 502 are bent upwardsin the direction of the y-axis. The wings 508, which may frame slotsthrough which cables are inserted, may bend so that outer edges 510 ofthe wings 508 are higher along the y-axis than a base 512 of the cablemanagement device 502. The bending of the wings 508 may be symmetricabout a central axis 514 of the cable management device 502 and thebending may be driven by movement of the cables when cables are retainedin the slots of the wings 508.

In other examples, the wings 508 may bend similarly downwards in thedirection of the y-axis instead of upwards as shown in FIG. 5. In yetanother example, a cable management device may deform and flexasymmetrically. For example, as shown in a profile view 600 of a thirdexample of a cable management device 602, the cable management device602 may have a first wing 604 and a second wing 606. The cablemanagement device 602 is shown in an asymmetric third configuration. Thefirst wing 604 may be flat and aligned with a base 608 of the cablemanagement device 602 along the x-z plane. The second wing 606, however,may be bent relative to the x-z plane.

The second wing 606 may curve upwards along the y-axis, as shown in FIG.6 or may curve downwards. The cable management device 602 is notsymmetric about a central axis 610 of the cable management device 602.For example, the first wing 604 may be planar as shown in FIG. 6 or maycurve in an opposite direction from the second wing 606 (as indicated indashed lines). Thus then the second wing 606 is bent upwards, the firstwing 604 may remain planar, as in the first configuration, or benddownwards. Alternatively, when the second wing 606 curves downwards, thefirst wing 604 may curve upwards or remain planar. Furthermore, thesecond wing 606 may instead be planar while the first wing 604 bends upor down along the y-axis.

A cable management device may further flex and stretch along a plane ofthe cable management device. As shown in a top view 700 in FIG. 7, acable management device 702 may be similar to the cable managementdevice 102 of FIGS. 1-4, the cable management device 502 of FIG. 5 andthe cable management device 602 of FIG. 6, having a base 704, a firstwing 706 surrounding a first slot 708 and a second wing 710 surroundinga second slot 712. The cable management device 702 is shown in a fourthconfiguration. The first slot 708 may enclose a first cable 730, with afirst diameter 732 that is similar to a width 703 of the first slot 708,as well as a second cable 734 with a similar diameter to the first cable730. The first slot 708 has a similar geometry to the first and secondslots 116, 118 of FIGS. 1 and 2, e.g., when the cable management deviceis in the first configuration. As such, the first slot 708 isrectangular with straight sides and curved corners and has a plane ofsymmetry along the x-axis.

Furthermore, a similarity in diameters of the first and second cables730, 734 to the width 703 of the first slot 708, along with a rigidityof a material of the cable management device 702, forces the first andsecond cables to remain aligned along the x-axis. The cables may remainstacked along the x-axis even when the cable shifts and rotate due to aresistance of the cable management device material to cable movement.However, the material provides sufficient elasticity to stretch and flexto allow the cables to turn and/or shift in any direction withoutbinding or chafing the cables.

The second slot 712 is not rectangular. Instead, the second slot 712 hasa shape resembling the letter “D”. In other words, when the second slot712 is D-shaped, the second slot 712 has a straight edge with oppositeends of the straight side coupled to opposite ends of a curve or arc.The second wing 710 is distended away from the base 704 of the cablemanagement device 702 along a long section (e.g., a section extendingalong x-axis) of the second wing 710 so that the second slot 712 doesnot have a plane of symmetry along the x-axis. The second slot 712 maybe deformed due to insertion of a head of a cable, e.g., a plug 705,which may have a greater width 724 than a width of the second slot 712when the second slot 712 is not stretched, e.g., the width 703 of thefirst slot 708.

The plug 705 may be a rigid structure that, when inserted between afirst inner edge 716 and a second inner edge 722 of the second slot 712,may exert a force on the first inner edge 716 along a directionindicated by arrows 718 and on the second inner edge 722 along anopposite direction indicated by arrows 707. The second inner edge 722resists the force due to an amount material forming the base 704compared to an amount of material forming the second wing 710 as well asa coupling of the base 704 to an external structure, such as the displaydevice 802 of FIG. 8.

At portions of the first inner edge 716 and the second inner edge 722 indirect contact with the plug 705, the distance between the first inneredge 716 and the second inner edge 722 increases to become similar tothe width 724 of the plug 705. However, the second inner edge 722remains unaltered and linear and only the first inner edge 716 isstretched to accommodate a size of the plug 705.

The plug 705 may be pushed through the second slot 712 so that the plug705 passes entirely through the second slot 712 and a second cable 720,to which the plug 705 is coupled, may instead be enclosed in the secondslot 712. The second cable 720 may have a diameter similar to the width703 of the first slot 708, removing the forces exerted along the firstinner edge 716 and the second inner edge 722 as indicated by arrows 718and 707. The second wing 710 may rebound and return to a rectangularshape, as indicated by dashed line 726, and resemble a shape of thefirst wing 706 with a plane of symmetry along the x-axis.

In some examples, the second wing 710 may be deformed into the D-shapedgeometry of the fourth configuration due to a contact force exerted bythe second cable 720. For example, when the second cable 720 is pulledwith sufficient tension in the direction indicated by arrows 718, thefirst inner edge 716 of the second slot 712 may also be forced to curveaway from the second inner edge 722. In other examples, the second wing710 may be flexed in into the fourth configuration by some other type ofobject, such as an operator's hand, a current converter coupled to thesecond cable 720, etc.

As described above, when the second slot 712 is deformed into theD-shaped geometry due to a contact force imposed by either the plug 705,the second cable 720, or some other object, the increased distancebetween the first inner edge 716 and the second inner edge 722 increasesan inner volume of the second slot 712 compared to when the plug 705 isnot inserted, e.g., as indicated by dashed line 726. For example, thedistance between the first inner edge 716 and the second inner edge 722may increase by up to three times the distance when opened or when theplug 705 is inserted.

The slots of the cable management device may alternate between thesymmetric rectangular geometry shown by the first slot 708 and theD-shaped geometry of the second slot 712, shown in FIG. 7. It will beappreciated that the first slot 708 may also conform to the D-shapedgeometry concurrent with the second slot 712 when at least one plug isalso pushed through the first slot 708. Furthermore, an amount that thewings distend and curve away from the base of the cable managementdevice 702 may vary depending on a size of the object insertedtherethrough or a magnitude of the force exerted by the object.

The fourth configuration of the cable management device may be combinedwith the second and third configurations of FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively.For example, one or both of the slots of the cable management device maybe adjusted to the D-shaped geometry by plugs extending through theslots while the one or both of the wings may be forced to curve and bendin a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cable managementdevice. The wings may bend in a same direction or in oppositedirections.

When the plugs are passed entirely through the slots, the cablemanagement device may be rebound to the first configuration whileretaining the cables. The flexibility of the material of the cablemanagement device allows the wings of the cable management device tostretch by small amounts, thereby maintaining an amount of pressureexerted on the cables by the inner edges of the slots below a thresholdlevel that may otherwise degrade the cables. Additionally, byimplementing the inner edges of the slots with curved surfaces extendingbetween the planar faces of the cable management device and maintainingthe cables stacked within the slot, a likelihood of chafing of thecables is reduced.

In this way, the cable management device may be readily mounted to adisplay device, as shown in FIG. 8, as a unitary structure andmaintained in a location of the display device that does not affectoperation of the display device or accessory devices. The slots of thecable management device are configured to receive cable heads (e.g.,plugs) and retain cables of the display device and accessory devicesonce the plugs are passed through the slots. The cable management deviceenables organized securing of the cables so that the cables do notbecome tangled or interfere with access to the display device oraccessory devices.

By forming the cable management device from a flexible, elastic,rebounding material such as silicone or rubber, the cable managementdevice may stretch, bend and flex in response to insertion of plugsthrough slots of the cable management device. Furthermore, shifting ofthe cables may occur during, for example, operation of the accessorydevices or during tilting/rotating of the display device. As the cablesmove, the cable may rotate and twist and the slots of the cablemanagement device may flex to accommodate the movement while maintaininga stacking of the cables within the slots along a width of the cablemanagement device. The flexing of the cable management device may alsocircumvent pulling of the cables which may otherwise cause the cables tobecome unplugged. Binding, crimping and chafing of the cables iscircumvented.

The cable management device may be formed by a low cost method offabrication, such as 3-D printing, injection molding, etc. The materialof the cable management device may have a hardness/flexibilitycommensurate with a stiffness of the cables. For example, a cablemanagement device with a higher durometer value may be used with stiffercables than a cable management device with a lower durometer value. Thecable management device may be easily modified to include more than twoslots, slots of different sizes and shapes, etc. In other examples, thecable management device may be implemented in a perpendicularorientation when mounted to the display device than that shown in FIG. 8so that the slots of the cable management device are positioned aboveand below the plate 806 coupling the display device 802 to the arm 808.

A method 900 for organizing cables of a medical system using a cablemanagement device is shown in FIG. 9. The cable management device may bethe cable management device 102 of FIGS. 1-4 and 8, 502 of FIG. 5, 602of FIG. 6, or 702 of FIG. 7. As such, the cable management device mayhave a plurality of holes disposed in a base of the cable managementdevice according to spacing of a VESA mount. At least one slot isincluded in the cable management device and configured to receive one ormore cables. For example, the cable management device may have two slotsarranged at opposite ends of the cable management device in wings of thecable management device that remain unanchored and able to bend andstretched.

At 902, the method includes attaching the cable management device to adisplay device of a medical system. The display device may be a monitor,for example, and the cable management device may be coupled to a rearsurface of the display device by aligning the plurality of holes of thecable management device with apertures in the rear surface of thedisplay device. Threaded upper fasteners, adapted to extend throughupper holes of the plurality of holes and engage with threaded upperapertures in the rear surface of the display device, may be insertedthrough the upper holes and tightened within the upper apertures byrotating the upper fasteners.

The display device may be coupled to a support arm at a plate of thesupport arm, e.g., the plate 806 of FIG. 8. The plate may have a set ofupper slots and a set of lower apertures, as shown in FIG. 8, and theupper fasteners may engage with the set of upper slots by sliding headsof the upper fasteners through the set of upper slots. The heads of theupper fasteners may protrude outwards from a surface of the cablemanagement device due to a wider diameter of the heads than a diameterof the threaded upper apertures in the rear surface of the displaydevice. Furthermore, the diameter of the heads may taper to increase ata top of the heads, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

A width of each of the set of upper slots may be similar to a narrowregion of the heads, e.g., a region of the heads proximate to thesurface of the cable management device. Thus, when the heads of theupper fasteners are inserted into the set of upper slots and the displaydevice slid downwards until the heads abut terminal ends of the set ofupper slots, the cable management device may be in face-sharing contactwith a surface of the plate and sandwiched between the plate and therear surface of the display device.

At 904, the display device may be secured to the support arm, e.g.,fastened to the plate of the support arm, by inserting lower threadedfasteners through the set of lower apertures in the plate, through lowerholes of the plurality of holes of the cable management device, and intolower threaded apertures in the rear surface of the display device. Thelower threaded fasteners may be tightened in the lower threadedapertures of the rear surface of the display device by rotating thelower threaded fasteners. As the lower threaded fasteners are tightened,the cable management device may be compressed between the plate and therear surface of the display device so that there are no spaces betweenthe surfaces.

In some examples, compression of the cable management device may beresisted by slugs, formed of a more rigid and less compressible materialthan the cable management device, surrounding each of the plurality ofapertures. The slugs enable the cable management device to be fastenedsecurely to the support arm and the display area without shifting andexcessive compression of the base of the cable management device thatmay otherwise lead to undesirable deformation.

While the base of the cable management device is secured to the plateand the rear surface of the display device, the wings of the cablemanagement device are not similarly secured. Instead the wings protrudefrom sides of the plate of the supporting arm, allowing the wings tobend and stretch when a force is exerted on the wings.

At 906, the method includes feeding cables of the display device and/oraccessory devices of the medical system through the slots of the cablemanagement device. The cables may have plugs coupled to terminal ends ofthe plugs where the plugs are wider than a diameter of the cables. Thusfeeding the cables through the slots may first include pushing the plugsthrough the slots. The cable management may initially be in the firstconfiguration shown in FIGS. 1-4 and upon inserting the plugs, may beadjusted to the fourth configuration shown in FIG. 7, for example. Thecable management may further be adjusted into the second configurationshown in FIG. 5 or the third configuration shown in FIG. 6 incombination with the fourth configuration. When the plugs are passedthrough the slots and the cables are instead fed through the slots, theslots return to the first configuration of the cable management device,thereby retaining the cables at the rear side of the display device.

In this way, cables of a medical system may be maintained at a rear sideof the medical system, away from an operator. The cables may be coupledto a cable management device attached to a rear surface of a displaydevice of the medical system, proximate to an arm supporting the displaydevice and configured to be mobile. As the arm tilts, pivots, and/orrotates, the movement of the arm may cause the cables to slide andtwist. By forming the cable management device from a flexible, elastic,rebounding material, the cable management device may stretch and bend toaccommodate movement of the cables, thereby reducing a likelihood ofbinding and chafing of the cables. The cable management device may be aunitary structure with continuous surfaces, allowing the cablemanagement device to be easily sanitized.

The technical effect of implementing the medical system with the cablemanagement device is that strain on the cables arising from contact ofthe cables with sharp and rigid structures is reduced.

As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceededwith the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding pluralof said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated.Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention arenot intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unlessexplicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,”“including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having aparticular property may include additional such elements not having thatproperty. The terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-language equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein.” Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. areused merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numericalrequirements or a particular positional order on their objects.

In one embodiment, a cable management device includes a planar base witha plurality of mounting holes, a first wing framing a first slotpositioned along a first side of the base and a second wing framing asecond slot positioned along a second side of the base, opposite of thefirst side, and wherein the first wing and the second wing areconfigured to flex from a first configuration to a second configurationin response to a contact force exerted on the wings. In a first exampleof the cable management device, the cable management device is a single,unitary structure with curved edges extending between planar surfaces ofthe cable management device. A second example of the cable managementdevice optionally includes the first example, and further includes,wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has a first inneredge distal to the base and a second inner edge proximate to the baseand wherein the first configuration includes a parallel and linearalignment of the first inner edge with the second inner edge. A thirdexample of the cable management device optionally includes one or moreof the first and second examples, and further includes, wherein thesecond configuration is a receiving position configured to receive anobject exerting the contact force on at least one of the first andsecond wings and wherein when in the second configuration, the firstinner edge of at least one of the first and second slots is flexed tocurve away from the second inner edge so that a distance between thefirst and second inner edge increases relative to the firstconfiguration. A fourth example of the cable management deviceoptionally includes one or more of the first through third examples, andfurther includes, a third configuration where at least one of the firstwing and/or the second wing is bent and not co-planar with the base ofthe cable management device and wherein the cable management device isin the third configuration concurrent with the second configuration. Afifth example of the cable management device optionally includes one ormore of the first through fourth examples, and further includes, whereinthe second inner edge of each slot remains linear and unchanged when thecontact force is exerted on at least one of the first inner edge or thesecond inner edge of each slot. A sixth example of the cable managementdevice optionally includes one or more of the first through fifthexamples, and further includes, wherein the first and second slotsrebound from the second configuration to the first configuration whenthe contact force is removed.

In another embodiment, a cable management system includes a displaydevice with receiving apertures disposed in a rear surface of thedisplay device and configured to couple to a support arm, and anelastic, flexible panel positioned between the display device and thesupport arm, the panel having a central base region with a plurality ofmounting holes with a spacing of the plurality of mounting holesmatching a spacing of the receiving apertures of the display device, andwherein the panel includes wings arranged on opposite sides of the baseregion, each of the wings framing a retention slot. In a first exampleof the cable management system, cables are maintained along the rearsurface of the display device when inserted through at least one of theretention slots and a position of the cables along the rear surface isretained when the display device is decoupled from the support arm. Asecond example of the cable management system optionally includes thefirst example, and further includes, wherein the panel is mounted to therear surface of the display device by fasteners inserted into theplurality of mounting holes and extending into the receiving aperturesin the rear surface of the display device. A third example of the cablemanagement system optionally includes one or more of the first andsecond examples and further includes, wherein the base of the panel ismaintained in a planar configuration when the fasteners are inserted andthe base is coupled to the rear surface of the display device andwherein the wings of the panel are not attached to the rear surface ofthe display device. A fourth example of the cable management systemoptionally includes one or more of the first through third examples andfurther includes a first configuration of the panel when the cables areinserted through at least one retention slot of the first wing and/orthe second wing and inner edges of the retention slot are parallel. Afifth example of the cable management system optionally includes one ormore of the first through fourth examples, and further includes a secondconfiguration of the panel when plugs coupled to the cables are insertedinto the retention slot and wherein a width of the retention slotincreases to match a width of the plugs and the inner edges of theretention slot are not parallel. A sixth example of the cable managementsystem optionally includes one or more of the first through fifthexamples, and further includes, wherein the panel is adjusted to thesecond configuration when the cables are inserted through at least oneretention slot of the first wing and/or the second wing and the cablesexert a contact force on the inner edges of the retention slot. Aseventh example of the cable management system optionally includes oneor more of the first through sixth examples, and further includes,wherein the first wing and the second wing bend and flex away from therear surface of the display device when the cables exert the contactforce on the inner edges of the retention slot of each of the wings. Aneighth example of the cable management system optionally includes one ormore of the first through seventh examples, and further includes,wherein each of the plurality of holes of the panel are surrounded by aslug formed of a more rigid and less compressible material than the baseor the peripheral wings of the panel.

In yet another embodiment, a method includes coupling a flexible panelto a rear surface of a display device, the flexible panel having a setof slots arranged on opposite sides of a central base of the panel,attaching the display device and the flexible panel to an arm configuredto support the display device, and feeding cables through the set ofslots of the flexible panel to maintain the cables proximate to the rearsurface of the display device. In a first example of the method,coupling the panel to the rear surface of the display device includesinserting a set of upper fasteners into upper mounting holes of theflexible panel and upper receiving apertures in the rear surface of thedisplay device and wherein attaching the display device and the flexiblepanel to the arm includes engaging heads of the set of upper fastenerswith upper apertures of a plate of the arm, the plate configured tointerface with a second face of the flexible panel, the second faceopposite of the first face. A second example of the method optionallyincludes the first example, and further includes securing an attachmentof the display device to the plate of the arm by inserting a set oflower fasteners through lower apertures in the plate, lower mountingholes of the flexible panel, and lower receiving apertures in the rearsurface of the display device. A third example of the method optionallyincludes one or more of the first and second examples and furtherincludes, wherein feeding cables through the set of slots includesinserting plugs through the set of slots, the plugs coupled to terminalends of the cables, while increasing the set of slots from a first widthto a second width, and decreasing the set of slots from the second widthto the first width when the cable plugs are outside of the set of slotsand the cables are retained within the set of slots.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable a person of ordinary skillin the relevant art to practice the invention, including making andusing any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods.The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and mayinclude other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art.Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims ifthey have structural elements that do not differ from the literallanguage of the claims, or if they include equivalent structuralelements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages ofthe claims.

1. A cable management device comprising: a planar base with a pluralityof mounting holes; a first wing framing a first slot positioned along afirst side of the base and a second wing framing a second slotpositioned along a second side of the base, opposite of the first side;and wherein the first wing and the second wing are configured to flexfrom a first configuration to a second configuration in response to acontact force exerted on the wings.
 2. The cable management device ofclaim 1, wherein the cable management device is a single, unitarystructure with curved edges extending between planar surfaces of thecable management device.
 3. The cable management device of claim 1,wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has a first inneredge distal to the base and a second inner edge proximate to the baseand wherein the first configuration includes a parallel and linearalignment of the first inner edge with the second inner edge.
 4. Thecable management device of claim 3, wherein the second configuration isa receiving position configured to receive an object exerting thecontact force on at least one of the first and second wings and whereinwhen in the second configuration, the first inner edge of at least oneof the first and second slots is flexed to curve away from the secondinner edge so that a distance between the first and second inner edgeincreases relative to the first configuration.
 5. The cable managementdevice of claim 3, further comprising a third configuration where atleast one of the first wing and/or the second wing is bent and notco-planar with the base of the cable management device and wherein thecable management device is in the third configuration concurrent withthe second configuration.
 6. The cable management device of claim 4,wherein the second inner edge of each slot remains linear and unchangedwhen the contact force is exerted on at least one of the first inneredge or the second inner edge of each slot.
 7. The cable managementdevice of claim 1, wherein the first and second slots rebound from thesecond configuration to the first configuration when the contact forceis removed.
 8. A cable management system comprising: a display devicewith receiving apertures disposed in a rear surface of the displaydevice and configured to couple to a support arm; and an elastic,flexible panel positioned between the display device and the supportarm, the panel having a central base region with a plurality of mountingholes with a spacing of the plurality of mounting holes matching aspacing of the receiving apertures of the display device, and whereinthe panel includes wings arranged on opposite sides of the base region,each of the wings framing a retention slot.
 9. The cable managementsystem of claim 8, wherein cables are maintained along the rear surfaceof the display device when inserted through at least one of theretention slots and a position of the cables along the rear surface isretained when the display device is decoupled from the support arm. 10.The cable management system of claim 8, wherein the panel is mounted tothe rear surface of the display device by fasteners inserted into theplurality of mounting holes and extending into the receiving aperturesin the rear surface of the display device.
 11. The cable managementsystem of claim 10, wherein the base of the panel is maintained in aplanar configuration when the fasteners are inserted and the base iscoupled to the rear surface of the display device and wherein the wingsof the panel are not attached to the rear surface of the display device.12. The cable management system of claim 8, further comprising a firstconfiguration of the panel when the cables are inserted through at leastone retention slot of the first wing and/or the second wing and inneredges of the retention slot are parallel.
 13. The cable managementsystem of claim 12, further comprising a second configuration of thepanel when plugs coupled to the cables are inserted into the retentionslot and wherein a width of the retention slot increases to match awidth of the plugs and the inner edges of the retention slot are notparallel.
 14. The cable management system of claim 13, wherein the panelis adjusted to the second configuration when the cables are insertedthrough at least one retention slot of the first wing and/or the secondwing and the cables exert a contact force on the inner edges of theretention slot.
 15. The cable management system of claim 14, wherein thefirst wing and the second wing bend and flex away from the rear surfaceof the display device when the cables exert the contact force on theinner edges of the retention slot of each of the wings.
 16. The cablemanagement system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of holes ofthe panel are surrounded by a slug formed of a more rigid and lesscompressible material than the base or the peripheral wings of thepanel.
 17. A method for a cable management system, comprising; couplinga flexible panel to a rear surface of a display device, the flexiblepanel having a set of slots arranged on opposite sides of a central baseof the panel; attaching the display device and the flexible panel to anarm configured to support the display device; and feeding cables throughthe set of slots of the flexible panel to maintain the cables proximateto the rear surface of the display device.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein coupling the panel to the rear surface of the display deviceincludes inserting a set of upper fasteners into upper mounting holes ofthe flexible panel and upper receiving apertures in the rear surface ofthe display device and wherein attaching the display device and theflexible panel to the arm includes engaging heads of the set of upperfasteners with upper apertures of a plate of the arm, the plateconfigured to interface with a second face of the flexible panel, thesecond face opposite of the first face.
 19. The method of claim 18,further comprising securing an attachment of the display device to theplate of the arm by inserting a set of lower fasteners through lowerapertures in the plate, lower mounting holes of the flexible panel, andlower receiving apertures in the rear surface of the display device. 20.The method of claim 17, wherein feeding cables through the set of slotsincludes inserting plugs through the set of slots, the plugs coupled toterminal ends of the cables, while increasing the set of slots from afirst width to a second width, and decreasing the set of slots from thesecond width to the first width when the cable plugs are outside of theset of slots and the cables are retained within the set of slots.